Mayan Ruins galore (2)
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Fri 9 Sep 2011 19:42
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We had engaged a local guide to show us the ruins at Copan.
Our agent there said he was very knowledgeable and with a huge personality
so it was no surprise when we all met up at the Agent's restaurant for breakfast
to find out that it was Saul who had given us so much entertainment the previous
evening at the German Bar. A 'Man for all Seasons' is our Saul! Breakfast
wasn't bad either!
Having settled the breakfast tab we were all set, the seven of
us, plus a local stray dog called 'Happy' that had walked through the
door of the restaurant and latched on to us. So off we trudged to walk the
short distance to the ruins. We thought that 'Happy' should really have been
called 'Loopy' as he darted backwards and forwards between us suddenly darting
away then back again. That was quickly amended to 'Lucky' as
he casually sauntered across the main road oh! so narrowly missing
oncoming traffic and then did the same thing re-crossing
again.
   'Happy' makes his
appearance
this mural in Copan was painted by Saul's son seen on our pleasant walk to
the ruins......
He followed us all the way to the ruins (we suspected it
wasn't his first visit there) at which point he was sent packing by Saul as dogs
are not allowed into the site itself. 'Happy' looked unhappy as he watched us
from a short distance whilst we purchased our entry tickets then
moved even further away as a local indigenous lady working at the site
threw some small stones at him. He finally headed off in the direction
of town. (Just hope he made it safely as we never saw him again after that
day).
 
.....past the cock-fighting ring (illegal but big business in
Honduras) arriving at the ruins still escorted by
'Happy'
At the entrance, sitting on the fence were some beautiful
Scarlet Macaws, the national bird of Honduras, including one with a
slightly balding head. These birds along with other
species were common to the area in Mayan times, being kept as
pets but had become scarce over the centuries with deforestation.
They are now being re-introduced to live freely in the park
entertaining visitors whilst making ear-splitting squawking noises. They made
for an amazing site as they flew between trees revealing their enormous
wingspan their vivid colours of red and yellow clearly visible amongst the green
foliage.
  Saul starts his
enthusiastic explanation of Mayan sites in the Yucatan and Central
America region whilst the Macaws merely Squawk amongst
themselves
Everything you want to know about the Mayan civilization and
its decline is on the internet although as we began to realise there is so
much speculation as to why they died out as a race so quickly. We don't even
really know where they came from originally although popular belief sites this
to be from the Pacific Islands. Their history at Copan is recorded in
stone carvings which are visible throughout the site although careless
archaeology carried out many years ago along with the pillaging of stones
by the local community to build homes (understandable perhaps) has robbed
the site of many valuable relics and artefacts. The entire area has
become a giant jigsaw puzzle with no accurate picture to go by.
Archaeologists are slowly and painstakingly piecing together identifiable
parts of buildings. A look round the ruins indicates that they
will be there for hundreds more years. Not only are the buildings and
temples visible above ground but due to the Mayans re-building their cities
every 55 years on top of the previous buildings means much of the site
including miles of tunnels are yet to be discovered. Looking around we
deduced that to be involved in archaeology demands a level of patience that
probably few people are blessed with - us included!
 
Coming on
nicely! just a few million more stones to find homes for .....&
the East Court where tunnel entrances can be
seen
 
We were
lucky as there were so few visitors on site to spoil the
ambiance
  Ceiba Tree - Mayan tree of life - the roots deep
in the underworld, the trunk in the current life whilst the branches reach to
the heavens.
      
Mayans were big on ball games, 1000's attended, losing team sacrificed (not
sure about the referees!)
 
This staircase depicts the
history of the Copan site in hieroglyphics - 63 steps 2000 carved stones each
with a story to tell
 
Away from the main site there are many ruins
left untouched by archaeologists who have more than enough on their plate at
Copan!
We enjoyed our few hours with Saul who finally left us on
our own to enable us to look at parts of the ruins he had not covered and take
in the tranquillity of the site which due to very few other visitors being
present enabled us to do just that.
We took Tuk Tuks back to town for a late lunch break and ended
up at Jim's Pizza where, eyes bigger than bellies, we over indulged to
such an extent that we were giving pieces away to a small local boy who was
trying to sell us some more corn husk dollies. The Admiral's offering
of a slice of her pizza with olives was initially gratefully accepted until he
was spotted outside the restaurant picking of the pieces of olive. Probably
would have done the same at his age! In an attempt to walk
off some of the pizza we went shopping and visited the local market which seemed
to consist mainly of fruit and veg stalls downstairs and shoe and hat stores
upstairs, including hundreds of pairs of leather cowboy boots and Stetsons.
Just a few hours later after more activities such
as snoozing in the room, watching CNN cable TV and cooling off in the hotel pool
it was back out to a local restaurant where again over indulgence was
our Achilles heel - this time one of the local skinny mutts being the
beneficiary of a fair sized lump of tender beef (medium) from the
Chanticleers plate. It was a small miracle that the dog didn't
die of shock as the previous offering from another table was the end off a small
bread roll! Having consumed this offering the poor dog could barely get up
off the floor as it struggled to come to terms with its good fortune which was
now sitting deep inside its tummy! Lucky Mutt!!!! 'Skip' could only manage
a plate of vegetables being still full from lunch otherwise it would have
definitely been out of luck!! |